Iquique

DSC09417
Originally uploaded by louise_parmenter.

We traveled on to the seaside resort of Iquique, which we approached from a mountain road that offered spectacular views of the town and ocean as we descended past huge dunes and hills. We spent 8 nights here as it was so attractive, relaxing and relatively cheap. We spent our days on the beach, visiting interesting military, naval and historic museums, mainly documenting the War of the Pacific (1879-1883), where a then much smaller Chile was forced into a war with then powerful allied countries of Peru and Bolivia and ended up winning and claiming land from both countries and famously cutting off Bolivia´s access to the sea. So here are the photos of Iquique

One day we hired a 4x4 and headed east towards the border with Bolivia to visit a volcano and some Aymara villages in the altiplano. The desert scenery was a stunning mix of mountains, hills, canyons, yellow, red, orange and green landscapes, sulphur-rich streams teeming with red algae, and plenty of llamas. Here are the photos of our day trip.


DISTANCE TRAVELED SINCE USHUAIA: 9,914KM

Oasis village Pica, Chile

Pica main square
Originally uploaded by louise_parmenter.

On our way north from San Pedro we stopped off in the desert town of Calama (2hrs from San Pedro - and the nearest big town) and stayed with Esteban´s cousin Claudia, her husband Julio and their baby,Maloy, for one night. She was so generous and offered us a bed although they clearly didn´t have room. Many thanks Claudia! We then travelled on to Pica (12hrs north, near Iquique). This oasis village provided a relaxing stop over with thermal baths with caves (from which you can work off mud for a great face pack) and a beautiful square full of humming birds, flowers and shaded benches, decorated with pink ironwork. Here are a few photos.

San Pedro de Atacama - Tatio Geysers

Tatio Geysers
Originally uploaded by louise_parmenter.

Finally, no trip to San Pedro de Atacama is complete without a visit to the Tatio Geysers. The excursion started at 4am with a 2 hour drive to the geysers, at the border with Bolivia. With a temperature of minus 6 degrees we watched the sun rise within this sulphuric environment of steaming geysers, colourful algae and mineral deposits.
Here are the photos.

And here is a video which I think gives you a good idea of the place, except for the bitter cold we felt!


DISTANCE TRAVELED SINCE USHUAIA: 8,695KM

San Pedro de Atacama - Valley of the Moon and the Fortifications

Valley of the Moon
Originally uploaded by louise_parmenter.

When Esteban arrived we hired some bikes and went to an indigenous fortification, offering fantastic views over the desert, the hills, the sand dunes and oases that make up the Atacama Basin. The follow day we cycled to the Valley of the Moon (Valle de la Luna) and took in some of the most spectacular lunar scenery.

Here are the photos of both trips.

San Pedro de Atacama (Chile) - The Salt Flats

Me at the Atacama Salt flats
Originally uploaded by louise_parmenter.

After an emotional departure from Argentina I arrived in San Pedro de Atacama (a tiny village within the vast, dry Atacama Desert) where I met up with Esteban. Previous to his arrival I went to the Atacama Salt Flats, which provided a surreal snowy-like landscape of a vast crusty salt floor in part covered with a shallow film of water and surrounded by hills.

Here are the photos of the salt flats and the salty laguna we visited on route, plus some photos of San Pedro itself and my journey from Argentina across the Andes to Chile.